On August 22, 2017, the President’s National Infrastructure Advisory Council (“NIAC”) issued a Report on securing critical U.S. infrastructure against cyber-attacks. The Report states that the U.S. is underprepared for the urgent threat it faces, noting that while the country is in a “pre-9/11-level cyber moment,” there is only a “narrow and fleeting window of opportunity to coordinate our resources effectively. ” The Report lays out a number of recommendations and focuses on coordination between the federal government and the private sector.

FDA overseeing crucial firmware update in US to patch security holes and prevent hijacking of pacemakers implanted in half a million people

Abbott / St Jude Medical’s Accent MRI pacemaker, one of the affected devices that had to be recalled. Photograph: Abbott / St Jude Medical
Almost half a million pacemakers have been recalled by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) due to fears that their lax cybersecurity could be hacked to run the batteries down or even alter the patient’s heartbeat.

The Senate has already passed the MOBILE NOW Act in an effort to open up more internet and telecom airwaves to private industry by 2020. The bill, which proponents say would help pave the way for 5G, the next generation of superfast internet technology, awaits House action.

Meanwhile, a bill that would empower the president, not the Library of Congress, to appoint the country’s top copyright official passed the House earlier this year and is now being mulled in the Senate Rules Committee.

As the auto industry evolves and more vehicles are outfitted with smart capabilities, consumers can expect more of their personal information to be collected and shared.

There’s no uniform standard, but automakers report collecting data on location, driver behavior, vehicle health and driver use of onboard entertainment and communications. Data can be used to support roadside assistance plans, conduct usability and other product research, and even market products and services to motorists.

With the recent adoption of cybersecurity regulations governing broker-dealers (BDs) and investment advisers (IAs) registered in Colorado and Vermont, the landscape of cybersecurity regulation continues to evolve in significant ways. For those businesses not yet covered by cyber regulations, these latest moves indicate that the day of reckoning may be coming, with both federal and state regulators actively expanding their reach.